That One Day in the Year
by FanofBellaandEdward
Summary: Naruto's never had somebody to celebrate his birthday with. That all changes when he becomes a part of Team Seven. Naruto's pov; some angst; slash; time skips; more warnings inside
1. Chapter 1: Part 1

**Author's note: Something random my brain came up with to celebrate Naruto's birthday today. It's going to be two parts, because I wanted to make sure I'd still be able to post it on time (yes, I do cheat like that).**

 **Warnings: Naruto's pov; mostly made up out of short scenes detailing certain events in his life; some light angst in this one; time skips**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.**

 **I hope you'll like the first part!**

* * *

 **Part 1**

He doesn't know when his birthday is until he has already turned six years old and the academy needs to fill in his papers.

"Date of birth?" the Chuunin behind the desk asks bored; his half long, brown hair casting shadows over his face.

The little blond boy blinks bemused. "What's that?"

"When's your birthday, kid?" the Chuunin clarifies; dark eyes flickering towards him for a few seconds before they return to the paper in front of him.

Naruto looks away, wringing his hands together as his cheeks heat up uncomfortably. He knows what a birthday is, of course. He's witnessed several children celebrating theirs in the park he likes to visit every week. He knows it is a day when people celebrate someone else turning one year old. They usually party with a cake and balloons and presents; family and friends will cheer for the birthday girl or boy.

Everybody has a birthday, that he understands. He just doesn't know when his birthday is, because nobody has ever celebrated it with him. He has no mummy or daddy to party with him and none of the other children ever want to play with him. Even the old man has never mentioned his birthday.

Maybe he's the exception? Maybe he doesn't have a birthday because he doesn't have a mummy or a daddy?

"Don't you know when your birthday is?" The man frowns at him, looking perplexed.

Flushing a bright red, Naruto scowls down at the floor. "I know when it is!" he protests, tugging at his sleeves until they cover his hands. "It's … It's …"

But he doesn't know.

The loud sigh above him has him flinching and he bites down on his lower lip hard, suppressing the ridiculous urge to cry.

"All right, here. Take this paper to the Hokage and let him fill in the rest. You can bring it back afterwards," the Chuunin mutters, holding out the paper he'd been writing on.

He's already turning towards the child behind Naruto before the blond boy can respond.

* * *

Naruto is six years old when he's told his birthday is on the tenth of October.

Still he has nobody to celebrate it with him.

* * *

A while later he meets a dark haired boy, one with features similar to that stupid boy in his class with his duck butt hair and his annoying refusal to take Naruto seriously. The boy, clearly older than him, doesn't taunt him, doesn't look at him with that particular kind of look in his eyes that most villagers have when they stare at him.

No, instead, he talks with Naruto, shows genuine interest in what the blond has to tell him to Naruto's complete shock. When Naruto declares he's going to be Hokage one day, the black haired boy smiles, but doesn't make fun of him.

When he leaves Naruto behind at the swings, giving him encouraging words of advice, blue eyes can do nothing but stare at the retreating figure in absolute wonderment.

There and then he decides that he really likes this boy. He hopes he'll see him again soon.

* * *

At eight years old he watches, hidden behind a tree, how Uchiha Sasuke stares at the taped up entrance to his family's compound with a blank look on his face. The entire Uchiha clan has been wiped out last week; the village is abuzz with the news, rumours flying wildly about what could have caused Uchiha Itachi – a prodigy, a genius who'd been steadily rising up in the ranks, even making it to ANBU Captain – to suddenly snap and kill his entire family, leaving only his little brother alive.

People whisper, people talk, people stare at the lone survivor of the massacre as if they have the right to gawk at him.

For once nobody in the village taunts Naruto or tries to hurt him, nor do they whisper behind his back. It doesn't make him feel better, though, not as he stands here now, watching how the other boy – the one he deems his rival – is working up the courage to enter the compound after spending a week in the hospital.

Impulsively Naruto takes a step to the right, leaving the protection of the tree's shade, and stretches out his hand, Sasuke's name lingering on the tip of his tongue when he opens his mouth to call out.

Before he can find his voice, the dark haired boy has already slipped through the police tapes, disappearing behind the stone walls.

Lowering his hand, feeling oddly disappointed, Naruto stands there for a moment longer, staring up at the walls which, just two weeks ago, contained the hustle and bustle of the Uchiha clan.

Now it's silent, too silent; there won't be anybody there anymore to welcome Sasuke home.

Naruto leaves before anyone can discover him here.

* * *

He starts crushing on the pretty pink haired girl, Sakura, in his class when he's nine years old, but no matter what he does, no matter what he says or even gives her, she ignores him completely.

It hurts, a lot. Especially when he realises that while she's all too happy to ignore him, she does her best to be noticed by Sasuke.

Sasuke, who's perfect at everything he does, who always gets the perfect grades, who accomplishes every exercise in the class flawlessly, who has girls squealing and blushing by just glancing at them.

Sasuke, who's also an arrogant jerk, who still refuses to take Naruto seriously, who smirks whenever Naruto fails spectacularly at performing a particular jutsu.

Sasuke, who's so far out of Naruto's reach, he might as well be in a completely different village.

Naruto decides he hates him when Sakura throws his pink flower – he's been looking for the perfect flower all morning, wanting to pick out the best one for Sakura's birthday, hoping that she'll finally give him a smile – to the ground without even really looking at it. Instead she runs to Sasuke, calling out to him and asking shyly whether he has something for her.

Sasuke simply ignores her, walking away.

With his flower lying crushed next to him and Sakura pouting at Sasuke's back, not even _seeing_ Naruto, not even realising he's still there, Naruto swears he'll defeat Sasuke one day.

He'll beat him once and for all, that's a promise!

* * *

He's twelve when he finally discovers why almost the entire village hates him. Why, wherever he goes, he's only met by glares and dark whispers, parents pulling their children away, warning them to stay away from the 'monster'.

It's because he _has a monster inside of him_.

He's a Jinchuuriki, a living container of one of the Bijuu. In his case he's carrying the Kyuubi inside of him; the nine-tailed beast which nearly destroyed the entire village twelve years ago.

The knowledge doesn't make him feel better. Instead it makes him feel worse even if the discovery is paired with Iruka-sensei stating he's not the monster, but Uzumaki Naruto. That part _does_ make him feel fuzzy and happy, but another part feels miserable.

He's not the monster, no, but the village considers him to be one and he wonders bitterly whether there will ever be a day when the village will accept him. His resolve to become Hokage one day strengthens – if he becomes the much respected leader, _people will have to acknowledge him._ They won't have any other choice.

It may take years, but he'll get there, he's sure. And he'll do it without the flea infested fox inside of him. He doesn't need that bastard's help to get stronger!

* * *

Being on the same team as Sasuke is – weird.

There's no other way to describe it. The other boy is aloof at first, steadfastly refuses to cooperate with either Naruto or Sakura. The bell test has Kakashi-sensei despairing, Naruto's sure, because they're all working on their own and neither one of them is even close to getting that damn bell.

It also leaves Naruto tied up and hungry, all because he's tried to eat before. His teammates are under strict instructions to not give him any food, lest they all fail, and he can't help but stare mournfully at their bento boxes; his stomach letting out a pitiful grumble. Maybe he should have eaten more this morning, but he'd only had one cup of ramen left. That's what he gets for having been too lazy to go shopping the evening before, he guesses.

When Sasuke turns slightly towards him, it takes Naruto a couple of seconds to realise that the dark haired boy is holding out his bento box to him and his mouth drops open in shock.

"Here you go," Sasuke says bored; his chopsticks dangling in his other hand next to his knee.

Sakura nearly chokes in her rice. "W-wait a minute, Sasuke-kun! Earlier, sensei said -"

"It's fine. I don't feel his presence right now," Sasuke retorts flippantly, guessing correctly why she's panicking.

Sakura still looks like she wants to protest, but when Sasuke picks up some rice between the chopsticks and holds them out to Naruto expectantly, she pulls a face, sighs, but abruptly also offers her own bento box.

Somehow, he's not sure how it happens, but both Sasuke and Sakura end up feeding him; each taking their turn and a pleasant warmth settles in the pit of Naruto's belly. Maybe being in the same team as Sasuke won't be so horrible after all.

Then Kakashi scares the shit out of them by suddenly appearing out of nowhere, making Naruto scream in fright as the other two scramble to their knees; their bento boxes discarded on the ground, spilling their content on the grass.

Naruto braces himself, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he realises that they blew it, that they disobeyed the older man yet again, and now neither one of them will become a Genin, and he'll have to do the Academy all over again and no, he doesn't want that! He doesn't want to give up his headband, doesn't want to give up the proof that he's finally a real shinobi!

He's worked so hard for this headband – is he really about to lose it already?

"You pass." Kakashi's one visible eye crinkles when he smiles cheerfully; all traces of anger gone as he leans over them and Naruto stares up at him, not sure whether he's heard the man correctly.

"What?"

"You pass," Kakashi repeats cheerfully. "In the shinobi world, those who break the rules are called trash, but those who don't treasure their companions are worse than trash." He sticks up his thumb. "With this, the practice is over!"

"All right!" Sakura cheers, jumping up and clapping her hands together.

"Let's go," Kakashi says lightly, jerking his thumb backwards.

Sakura and Sasuke immediately join him and Naruto's shoulders slump a bit as relief races through him. They got a pass, they're still Genin, thank god! He won't have to surrender his treasured headband and the damp forest air instantly smells a lot sweeter.

It's only when Naruto tries to take a step forwards that he realises he's still tied to that damn pole. "Hey! I'm still trapped here! Give me a hand!"

All he gets in return is Sakura's amused laughter and Kakashi's chuckle before their sensei takes pity on him and undoes his restraints.

Naruto promises that next time he'll set up a trap with filthy dishwater and other sorts of nasty things in it for Kakashi instead of just a dusty eraser. That'll teach him to leave him tied up like that.

* * *

Naruto spends his thirteenth birthday herding sheep and learning how to shave them. Team Seven is back to doing D ranked missions and he longs for the day that they'll finally get a higher ranked one again. They've proven that they can handle C missions, haven't they? He – okay, perhaps, they, because Sasuke helped out – kicked arse during their fight with Haku and Zabuza! There's no reason whatsoever to be stuck doing a D mission again.

But alas, the old man refused to give them anything higher than a D this morning, so here Naruto is now: trying not to get kicked in the face by the sheep he's attempting to shave. That's a surprisingly difficult task to accomplish, but he's not going to let himself be defeated by a mere sheep!

When they finally trudge back to the village, dusk is settling in and their breath escapes them in little puffs of smoke. October has been particularly chilly already and he stuffs his hands deeper into the pockets of his orange jacket.

As Sakura tries to ask out Sasuke for the umpteenth time already this month alone, Naruto finds himself wondering whether Iruka-sensei wants to go eat ramen with him. He's never had somebody to celebrate his birthday with before, so all his previous birthdays have passed by just like any other day.

Okay, that's a lie. On his birthday in the past, he tended to keep to his apartment mostly, because the villagers are more hostile on this particular day – probably remembering Kyuubi's attack. With no visible Bijuu to blame, though, they always aimed their anger at Naruto and the blond boy had taken to hiding out at his apartment, waiting for the day to change into night and then to the next day.

He couldn't hide out in his apartment today, though. Missions called and even though shaving sheep is not something he's envisioned doing on his birthday, at least a mission outside the village beats trying to hide from the villagers' scornful gazes.

Blue eyes wander over to his teammates in front of him. Sakura's latched onto Sasuke now and is still trying to convince him to go on a date with her. Sasuke's walking rather stiffly, his shoulders slightly hunched with tension, and he looks ready to push her away. Sasuke's never liked being touched and Sakura's flirting is clearly getting on his nerves.

Neither one of them know the secret Naruto's been harbouring for a year now. They don't know he's the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi, don't know that that's the reason why he heals so fast. He's thought about telling them, but …

He's not brave enough to find out what happens when he tells them. According to Iruka-sensei the younger generation doesn't know about who's carrying the Kyuubi. Only the adults know, but their reactions towards Naruto have been clear enough to make him wary of confessing his huge secret.

He loves being a team with Sakura and even with Sasuke, and he doesn't want to see their faces twist ugly with disgust when he tells them what's been sealed inside of him. He doesn't want to see Sasuke turning away from him, doesn't want to see that warmth in those black eyes disappear. They're friends, even if the other boy won't admit it aloud, and Naruto's terrified of losing that friendship once the older boy knows about the Kyuubi.

Naruto thinks he can handle Sakura turning away from him – while she's now nicer to him, he knows she still likes Sasuke more. He's not blind nor stupid, even if she and Sasuke like to think that. He would be able to get over her rejection – but for some reason it'd be a lot harder to get over Sasuke's rejection.

He's not ready yet to examine why he's more afraid of Sasuke's reaction than of Sakura's, but he decides he can't tell either one of them. His list of people who tolerate him is pathetically small as it is and he doesn't want to risk making it even smaller. No, he'll keep Kyuubi a secret; he's got no other choice if he wants to keep his friends.

At the entrance of Konoha, Kakashi disappears in a cloud of white smoke and Sakura breaks away from Sasuke; disappointment visible on her face as she walks away, returning to her home for the evening. She still hasn't scored a date and oddly that makes Naruto a bit happy.

"You got any plans?"

Sasuke's deep voice startles Naruto out of his thoughts and he blinks, crossing his arms behind his head. "I'm going to Ichiraku." With a bit of luck Iruka-sensei might be there. It would be great if he is, because that'll mean he won't have to celebrate his birthday alone for the first time.

"All right." Sasuke shrugs and together they set off, making their way through the streets, bypassing several people who are still mingling around on the street.

None of them glare at Naruto this time, but that's only because they're too busy gawking at Sasuke, who ignores them as per usual. This isn't the first time Sasuke has accompanied him to the ramen stand, so Naruto has become used to the fact that he becomes invisible to the villagers when the Uchiha heir walks next to him. Any other day and he'd be offended by it, but today he's grateful.

He might not really celebrate his birthday, but that doesn't mean he wants to spend the rest of what remains of the day being glared at and taunted by other people.

The old man of Ichiraku's greets them cheerfully when they take their seats and soon both of them have a steaming bowl of delicious ramen put in front of them. Sasuke has also requested some salad with extra tomatoes and even though Naruto has eaten ramen with Sasuke plenty of times before already, he still thinks it's utterly strange to eat salad and ramen together.

Whatever, the bastard's always been a weirdo.

Iruka-sensei doesn't show up and Naruto hides his disappointment, drowning it in a second bowl of ramen. He knows the Chuunin is busy with his classes, knows he can't expect the older man to free his schedule just to eat ramen with some brat, but …

It still hurts a bit.

Just for once he'd have liked someone to celebrate his birthday with.

"You want to train together tomorrow?" Sasuke questions, breaking through his brooding thoughts.

Slurping up some noodles, Naruto nods. "Yeah, sure. The training grounds?"

Plopping a cherry tomato in his mouth, Sasuke shakes his head. "The Uchiha compound," he replies. "I found some scrolls last weekend; figured we could try them out."

"Sure," Naruto grins, perking up at the prospect of learning new jutsu with his friend. He's never thought he'd admit this one day, but training with Sasuke is actually a lot of fun. They challenge each other, force the other one to do their best, and Naruto can feel himself growing stronger and stronger after each sparring session with Sasuke.

It's going to be fun to try out the new jutsu Sasuke has found. The Uchiha compound holds a lot of interesting jutsu scrolls and Naruto can't wait to learn more of them. A lot of the scrolls are obviously focused on fire jutsu mainly, as that's the branch the Uchiha clan focusses on, but Sasuke has also discovered more 'regular' jutsu before; ones that Naruto can study as well. That's not to say he hasn't tried performing a fire jutsu before – he has, multiple times even, but fire is an element he can't seem to master at all, so he's given up on those. Healing burns, while it happens faster for him than for other people, is still a pain in the arse and he rather doesn't look anymore like he's been roasting in the sun for too long.

It doesn't matter, though. There are still plenty of other jutsu to master and sparring with Sasuke is always fun, even if he doesn't learn anything new.

* * *

When they finish eating – Sasuke having kept it to one bowl and one salad, while Naruto has stuffed himself full with four bowls – Sasuke insists on paying for everything and Naruto's not gracious enough to refuse the offer. Even though he's saving his money, he doesn't have enough with him to actually pay for everything, so he's immensely grateful that Sasuke's willing to pay for everything.

Even though he won't admit it aloud; he does promise to pay his friend back, though, not wanting to take advantage of him, but Sasuke just waves it off with a bored look on his face.

Right before they part for the night, Sasuke says, "Happy birthday, Naruto."

Immediately Naruto whirls around, gapes at the other boy. "You know my birthday?" he squeaks and feels a bit mortified, but well, he hasn't expected the Uchiha heir to know his birthday!

Black eyes blink at him. "Yes, I do. Good night." With that, he turns around and after one last wave, he leaves, making his way back to his own home leisurely.

Leaving Naruto behind as if he hasn't just turned his whole world upside with that one small sentence, that huge admission.

* * *

When Naruto slides into his bed that evening, he can't stop smiling; giddiness making him squeeze his hands into a ball and hide his blushing face into his pillow.

He has celebrated his birthday with his best friend! _Sasuke told him happy birthday!_

For the first time ever, Naruto actually had someone to celebrate his birthday with and that knowledge fills him with warmth and has him smiling even goofier than before.

He just celebrated his birthday with someone else – not just _someone_ , but his _best friend_.

For the first time since he can remember, he finishes his birthday with a smile on his face as he gently drifts off to sleep.

* * *

Gaara's just like him.

He's just like him and that acknowledgment is like a bucket of ice water. If Naruto didn't have his bonds with the others, he might have turned out just like the red haired boy in front of him.

He might have turned into someone who hates the world, who wants nothing but destruction. Someone who's been hurt far too many times, who let the monster inside him take over just to be able to deal with the pain.

Naruto understands him. He knows all too well how it feels like to be hurt like that, remembers fury filling him during all those times the villagers turned their backs on him, recalls how helpless and upset he felt whenever children ignored him or when parents pulled their kids away, admonishing them to stay away from the freak.

He remembers wanting to hurt those people at times.

It would have been so easy for him to slip into the darkness like Gaara has, to let the beast inside of him take control.

He doesn't blame Gaara. He's just like him, after all.

But that doesn't mean he will allow the boy to rampage like that, won't stand for him hurting his friends.

He'll stop him. He'll save Sasuke and Sakura, but he will also save Gaara.

Because Gaara doesn't deserve the fate that's been forced upon him. He doesn't deserve feeling like he's nothing but a monster, like he won't ever be considered human.

He's Gaara, not the Ichibi. Naruto will help him remember that.

He will save him. That's a promise he intends to keep.

* * *

He couldn't save his best friend.

Staring down at the headband, trailing his finger across the deep gash inside the metal, Naruto bites down hard on his lower lip; some tears slipping down his cheeks.

He's still too weak. Too weak to save his friend.

If he can't even save his best friend, why does he expect he can become Hokage one day? He can't. Someone who can't save a friend isn't fit to become the leader of a village.

As Jiraiya talks to him, tries to persuade him into giving up on Sasuke, abandon his best friend, Naruto clenches his hand around the headband, feeling the metal edges dig into the vulnerable flesh of his palms and he makes a promise. No, not promise, he swears.

He won't abandon Sasuke. He won't give up on his best friend. He'll get stronger and once that day arrives, once he's strong enough, he'll get Sasuke back. He'll pull him out of the darkness, just like he helped Gaara before. Sasuke's lost, but not gone yet.

He doesn't care what Jiraiya thinks. He doesn't care that the older man considers him stupid, reckless for not giving up.

Naruto never gives up.

And he certainly won't abandon his best friend.

No matter what it takes, he'll get Sasuke back.

That's a promise.

* * *

 **AN2: So what do you think of it? A bit random, I know, but my brain wouldn't stop thinking about it until I started writing it, so yeah *coughs***

 **Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.**

 **I hope to see you all back in the second (and last) part!**

 **Cuddles**

 **Melissa**

 **P.S. For more information about my upcoming and posted stories, please visit my profile.**


	2. Chapter 2: Part 2

**Author's note: I am so incredibly sorry for taking this long to finish this two shot. This was meant to be finished way earlier, but real life and other projects started kicking my arse until I sat down and finished this basically in one setting. Again, I'm so sorry for taking so long! I never intended to have you waiting for a couple of months for this *winces***

 **If you've read "Throughout the Years" you might notice that certain scenes in this chapter seem familiar. That's because I've decided to make this a compagnon fic to Sasuke's birthday fic as his theme was similar to this one.**

 **Thanks to the following reviewers: Mila Pink; Ern Estine 13624; GAARA12223; PinkiePieParty122894; babyvfan; cake0108; solitare1; Kay Stars; yukino76; Sweetciel; TheBeauty; Meehalla; Tee; SehunsBae37**

 **Warnings: Drama; violence; canon character death; implied mature content; time skips; some lines in some scenes were taken directly from the manga; short implied relationship between Naruto and Hinata; fluff**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.**

 **I hope you'll like this and again my apologies for posting it so late!**

* * *

 **Part 2**

He leaves with Jiraiya practically as soon as he's discharged, Tsunade seeing them off with her lips pursed and her arms crossed underneath her large breasts. She isn't happy to see them leave, agrees with Jiraiya that Sasuke is a lost cause, but Naruto is nothing if not stubborn and determined and after two days of him needling her and pestering her at her office, she's given in.

She allows him to leave the village in order to train with Jiraiya, but not before cautioning him to be careful and to focus on other things besides Sasuke. He nods obediently, but all he can think of is getting strong enough to get Sasuke back, powerful enough to bring his best friend back to the village and save him before it's too late.

He knows Jiraiya doesn't agree with his goal, but he doesn't care. Yes, he wants to become Hokage, but attaining that position will be worth nothing if it means he can't even bring his best friend back. How can he be responsible for an entire village if he can't even save his friend?

No, he'll train with Jiraiya, do his best to develop that damn Rasengan properly, and by the time he and Sasuke will meet again, he'll have become strong enough to drag that idiot back to Konoha. Seriously, Sasuke loved calling him an idiot, but who's the one who willingly went to a creepy snake bastard? That's right, that bastard! So who's really the idiot now?

"Keep it up, brat, I'm not about to go easy on you," Jiraiya warns him when they leave Konoha far behind them; the trees of the forest separating them from the village.

"Never said you had to go easy on me, Ero-sensei!" Naruto retorts, sticking out his tongue. A grin unfurls across his mouth when Jiraiya launches himself from the ground onto a tree branch and he follows the older man quickly.

He can't wait until he's grown strong enough to see Sasuke again!

* * *

Travelling with Jiraiya is … interesting.

He's travelled outside the village before, naturally, during missions with Team Seven, but there's something different about travelling with just one other person. A person whose complete attention is devoted to him alone – unless there are pretty women nearby then Naruto might as well just be a plant.

He doesn't really mind. Sure, he doesn't really understand why Jiraiya is so interested in women; nor does he understand his proclivity for booze, despite the fact that the older man has told him several times already that shinobi have to follow three basic rules: no booze, no women and no money. Personally Naruto thinks Jiraiya isn't very good at following those three important prohibitions, but whatever. He's still a rather cool guy and he's teaching him all sorts of techniques!

He's also one of the very few adults who willingly spends time with Naruto, without looking at him like he's a monster. He jokes around with him, tells him all kinds of stories of things that happened to him during his travels, and if he's not distracted by beautiful women, he's a really good teacher as well.

They're somewhere near the Hidden Stone Village in the Land of Earth when they celebrate Naruto's fourteenth birthday. It's the second time he celebrates his birthday with somebody – somebody who actually wants him near – and the whole day he feels like he's going to cry.

Not because he's sad, but because Jiraiya's going out of his way to let him have a great day. He even puts training on hold – "Only for today, squirt. Tomorrow's back to business as before." – and takes him to a hot spring. For once he doesn't even attempt to take a peek in the women's bath and that only makes Naruto's grin wider.

"Here." Jiraiya breaks a popsicle in two and shoves one half at Naruto, who accepts it startled.

"What?" Naruto can only stare at the blue popsicle, not entirely sure what is happening right now.

The white haired man shrugs and pays the cashier. "For you."

"It's October," Naruto points out, but it's a rather moot point given that the weather is still relatively mild for the time of the year. There has been some rain in the past week, but overall it looks like summer is still fighting autumn for dominance and it's currently winning.

Jiraiya raises an eyebrow. "And your birthday. What's the point, brat?"

His heart skipping a beat, Naruto grins and stuffs the popsicle in his mouth before it can start melting. "Nothing!" he exclaims cheerfully, following the older man outside the store.

They sit together on a bench near the border of the village and Jiraiya doesn't pull away when Naruto leans against his shoulder.

Silently Naruto wonders whether this is how family feels like. He decides he likes this feeling – whatever it may be – very much.

* * *

He ends up stuffing the stick of his popsicle into his bag when Jiraiya is not looking. He knows it's stupid to keep something like that as a memento, but he doesn't want to part with it either. How many times hasn't he watched parents sharing popsicles or other candy with their children, wishing he had someone to do the same thing with him?

Unknowingly Jiraiya has made his wish come true and this stick, small and dyed blue, will always have that amazing memory attached to it.

So he carefully puts it away in his bag that evening before he crawls into his sleeping bag and rolls onto his back. The old pervert is snoring softly next to him, his mouth parted slightly, and Naruto crosses his arms underneath his head and looks up at the sky.

Sees the millions of stars twinkling in the darkness and wonders whether Sasuke is looking at the sky tonight too.

* * *

He's nearing his sixteenth birthday when Jiraiya decides it's time to go back to Konoha.

Naruto hasn't set foot in the village since he was thirteen years old, beaten down and weak after losing his best friend, and he wonders how much it has changed.

Questions quietly, deeply at night when he's supposed to be sleeping but can't because he's becoming a bit nervous with every step closer they take to Konoha, how much his friends have changed. Is Kiba still training with his loyal dog Akamaru? Has Shikamaru grown out of his laziness or will Naruto still find him spread underneath a tree, catching a nap? Is Bushy Eyebrows still fixated on his idea of youth and training like a mad guy together with Gai-sensei?

And Sakura; what is she doing now? Sasuke has been with Orochimaru for these past years – not that he will be there for much longer if Naruto has a say in it – and Naruto has been on the road with Jiraiya, training. Has Sakura been training with Kaka-sensei all this time or has she found another sensei? If so, who? How much will she have changed since he last saw her?

He's both excited and apprehensive, wanting to rush to Konoha at once while at the same time wanting to stretch out the time he has left alone with Jiraiya for just a little bit longer.

He's changed a bit, he knows, and not only physically. It's just that he's a bit worried about how much his friends have changed.

Well, he'll find out soon just how much, won't he?

* * *

Witnessing Sasuke disappear – leave him behind for the second time, despite the fact that Naruto had been so sure today would be the day he finally brought his best friend back home – watching those dark eyes remain locked onto his until he's gone, _hurts_.

It makes his chest hurt so much that it makes breathing harder and he clutches his jacket tightly, sinking down onto the ground on his knees; his eyes stinging with hot tears.

He has failed again. For the second time he couldn't bring Sasuke home. For three years he'd trained – and yet he still couldn't do it.

All that time and yet … nothing.

* * *

For years he has assumed he knows Sasuke, understands him at a level that others can't even hope to reach.

He realises he's never truly understood the Uchiha heir until he's told that Jiraiya died during a mission. His godfather had been looking for information about the Akatsuki and had encountered the leader of them: Pein. Jiraiya's body won't ever be retrieved; the only reason Konoha knows he's dead is because he sent a frog with the information he'd gathered.

Jiraiya, the man who always appeared larger than life, nothing and nobody able to bring him down, is dead.

Someone Naruto considers to be his family, the closest link to his parents, is no longer there. He won't ever hear the older man's boisterous laugh again, he won't ever share ice cream with him again, he won't get to train with him anymore, won't ever get to talk to him again …

He's gone, wiped away from the earth by the very same organisation that almost killed Gaara, that's systematically finishing off the Jinchuuriki one by one. That's hunting down Naruto at this very same moment.

Naruto's sixteen years old and loses his family for the second time. But it's not the same, is it? Yes, he's said he never got to know his parents, but their absence doesn't really hurt that much as he never knew them in the first place.

He has got to know his godfather, though, has come to experience how an actual family feels like. And now he's gone, killed. _Leaving Naruto without a family again_.

Right then and there, as tears drip down his cheeks and his fingers are like claws digging into his bedsheets, he realises for the very first time how Sasuke actually feels. He's claimed to have understood him for years, but he hasn't really. He never understood Sasuke's need for revenge, his obsession with it to the point he's willing to give up his body to a snake creep if that means he can extract his revenge on his brother.

But now … He thinks he finally has an inkling as to how much grief Sasuke is actually carrying around, the burden of his family's deaths heavy enough that he's forsaken everything else for a chance to get revenge.

It hurts. It hurts so fucking much and all he wants to do now is lash out, get his hands on the bastard who'd ripped his godfather away from him and _make him hurt too_. He wants to find Pein, wants to hurt him over and over again if only to make him feel just a fraction of the pain, the agony which feels like it's ripping him apart.

Has Sasuke felt like this for all these years? No wonder he'd been so angry during their fight at the Valley of the End. His friend had been right – Naruto hadn't known how Sasuke felt.

 _I'm sorry, Sasuke, that I thought I knew you._

Next time he meets Sasuke it's going to be different, he promises.

* * *

He turns seventeen on the final day of the war, after dying once before.

He's forced to say goodbye to his dad, the jutsu no longer in place to sustain him, and he keeps standing there for a long time, all too aware of the gazes trained on him. He's especially aware of one particular gaze and he knows he can't escape it. He can stand here for as long as he likes, but the outcome of today won't change.

He and Sasuke are going to have their fight. Either they both survive or they both die – Naruto won't allow any other possibility. He's sworn to take any burden Sasuke has on his shoulder, has promised him to take his anger, because he's the only one who can withstand it.

It's going to be all or nothing.

No matter what happens, though, he's not going to let Sasuke be alone. He has missed his chance once before, he's not going to let this second one slip through his fingers. He'll fight for them, he'll fight for Sasuke, for his best friend.

They end up at the Valley of the End, which is rather fitting he supposes. They had their first fight here and they will have their last one here; the cycle will be complete.

As punches rain down on him, as he blocks kicks and fists, curses when the bastard uses his own hand to form a fucking fire jutsu, determination burns brightly within him.

Sasuke's snapping at him, sneering, begging for him to give up, to just die already, but Naruto refuses. He's not going to let Sasuke be alone again.

 _Never again._

This last attack will be his final one, he acknowledges, ignoring Kurama scolding and hissing at him, as he concentrates on forming a Rasengan. Already weakened from fighting a war, his body is ready to give up, bruised and bleeding, his headband already drifting away on the water.

One last attack and then it will be over.

Blue meets black. They clash, Rasengan meeting Chidori for the last time.

White fills his vision and he's gone.

* * *

He lost his right arm partly. He can feel his blood sluggishly dripping from the stump that's now his arm and he stares up at the darkening sky with one eye; his other one too swollen to open.

Everything hurts; an agony unlike anything he's ever felt before. They're probably going to die soon if the bleeding doesn't stop.

Next to him Sasuke lies, his own left arm a victim of their attack. His blood is sliding down the rock they're lying on, pooling together with Naruto's. He's not looking any better than Naruto feels and that makes Naruto want to smile. He finally succeeded in making the Uchiha look any less than perfect.

Sasuke's questioning him, asking him why he would go so far for him when everyone else has already given up. Naruto considers not answering, because seriously, it's a stupid question and how can the bastard still not realise it? Isn't he supposed to be some kind of genius?

"Because we're friends," Naruto mumbles exhausted. Isn't that obvious?

Sasuke stares at him for a while before narrowing his eyes and of course the bastard has to be difficult again, even whilst bleeding out. "You've already said that … But what exactly … does friend mean to you?" he asks slowly; his eyes dark and heavy.

Prepared to give his usual answer, Naruto parts his lips before closing them and thinking. The way Sasuke words it warns him this is an important question. He'd answered the black haired man before when he'd asked him why he refused to give up, but obviously that in't the answer Sasuke is looking for now.

What does 'friend' mean to him? It seems such a simple question but he quickly realises it's anything but simple. Well, it's a simple one if Sakura or Kiba or Gaara would be the one asking the question. Sasuke, though … He's a completely different matter. He can't be added to the same category as his other friends and he realises with a growing sense of frustration that he can't even exactly explain why Sasuke is different.

He just is. He's always been different and always will be, no matter how old they'll become.

"Even if you were to ask me to explain it, I honestly don't think I'd really have an answer … It's just, when I see you carrying that burden and going on about everything the way you do … Somehow …" Naruto pauses and he flicked his one working eye up to the dark sky. "I just … hurt."

From the corner of his eye he can see black eyes widening and Naruto sighs softly. "It hurts so much inside, that I can't just leave it alone, you know?" he continues and turns his head with some difficult to Sasuke and a chuckle escapes him, even if the action hurts him even more. "Though right now, I'm in a lot of pain all over, and I can't do anything about it." His weak grin turns wryly and can't help but moan softly in pain as another bolt of sharp stabbing pain travels down his spine.

Fuck, this isn't how he'd expected to spend his seventeenth birthday. Hell, he may not even live past the next day at this rate.

Unwillingly his eyes slide back to Sasuke, whose features are soft and delicate even with the rusty colour of blood marring his porcelain pale skin.

Then again, he can think of worse places to spend his birthday at than lying next to Sasuke. If he dies tonight, at least he can die with the knowledge that he got his best friend back in the end.

* * *

When Naruto regains consciousness next, the sun is rising slowly, colouring the sky a soft yellow. Some white clouds drift aimlessly above them and he blinks dazedly, wondering if perhaps this is heaven after all.

"Where are we?" he muttered bemused. "This isn't heaven, is it?!" Shit, it would suck so badly if he had ended up dying after all!

"Looks like we fell asleep and slept all night," Sasuke answers, proving he's awake too. "We've failed to die again." He sounds vaguely amused even though he looks paler than yesterday.

"G-Gah! I still can't move my body!" Naruto utters in frustration after trying to rise up. Every cell in his body is screaming in pain and he's on the verge of blacking out again when he stops moving. "I was hoping to clobber you and make you finally, really open your eyes!" How the hell is he supposed to smack some actual sense in this idiot if he can't even move his damn toe without his body screaming in pain?!

He's utterly shocked when Sasuke suddenly starts laughing. It starts out as a weak chuckle at first, a bit wheezy even, but it quickly evolves into an actual full blown laughter; the sound filling the air between them.

"Wh-what's so funny?" he sputters gobsmacked. He can't recall one moment in which the last Uchiha had actually laughed this loudly before, but now the bastard has suddenly found a reason to laugh? Maybe Naruto punched him too hard in the head after all.

"We're all messed up and you still want to fight?" Sasuke questioned amused; his one eye – the one which is not heavily bruised – gleaming when he gazes at the blond.

That fires up Naruto immediately. "Of course! No matter how many times it takes …"

"I admit it."

Those words shock Naruto into silence and he stares at the other man.

"That … I've lost," Sasuke continues with a smile, not looking upset at all. In fact he looks even somewhat relieved as if a heavy burden has at long last left him.

"Fool! This fight isn't about winning or losing! It's about punching a sulking friend and making him snap out of it!" Naruto snaps furiously and if he could move without hurting too badly, he would have punched Sasuke again, because clearly that fucking idiot still doesn't get it! "The real match that I want comes after that!"

That gets him an odd smile as Sasuke closes his eyes for a moment and begins, "Hey, Naruto."

"Huh?"

"I've acknowledged you now … If I die here, the long cycle of destiny the Sage of Six Paths mentioned will probably end as well."

Naruto remains quiet, even as the words, the memory of the old man, make his stomach squeeze and flip uncomfortably.

"This is a type of revolution too," Sasuke goes on serenely. "You can undo the Infinite Tsukuyomi after I'm dead … By transplanting my left eye into Kakashi or someone else. I … will put an end to myself."

 _That's not an option_. Naruto's not going to allow that, is not going to stand by and watch Sasuke, the one person in the world who completely understands him, off himself. That's not going to happen. No way, no how, never.

Anger, blazing hot, courses through his face and he snaps furiously, "Don't you dare! You dying isn't going to settle things! If you'd go that far, then live and help me instead! What I want to do is get all shinobi to cooperate with each other! Including you, of course!"

 _Don't die and leave me all alone again._

"Just because you want that doesn't mean others will agree to it," Sasuke remarks, because of course the bastard has to be contrarily all the fucking time.

"Yeesh! Fine, go ahead, keep sulking and whining … I'll beat you up again!"

"There's no guarantee I won't stand against you again," Sasuke warns him, the look on his face dark and solemn.

"Then I'll stop you again! Actually, I know you're not going to do that kind of thing anymore!" Naruto says triumphantly and wants to cross his arms, before ouch, fuck, yeah, he can't do that. Still his point remains: no matter how much Sasuke worries he'll slip into the darkness again, Naruto is sure that won't happen again.

"How can you say that? How can you be so sure?" Sasuke wonders and he looks so lost, so young, like he can't believe, like he doesn't dare to believe what Naruto's saying, that the blond's heart breaks a bit.

He hides his own heartache by getting pissed off. "Don't make me keep repeating myself! Do you still not understand anything?! Now that I think about it, you were always pretty stupid too!" he huffs irritated.

When Naruto looks at him next, he's stunned when he sees tears sliding down Sasuke's face, even as the man smiles.

"Shut up … usuratonkachi."

Naruto smiles too, his chest warming. They'll be all right, he knows.

* * *

Naruto's turned nineteen a month ago when he has to fight a crazy bastard on the moon and get back Hinata before it's too late.

She kisses him when they're back home and it feels nice. She's nice and sweet and pretty and for a while everything is good between them.

He should be happy now, he knows. Everything's been rather peaceful lately, the villages are cooperating with each other now instead of waging war, and he has a sweet, beautiful girlfriend – what more can he want?

He slowly finds out that while he loves her long, dark hair, he finds himself wishing it was a lot shorter and spikier. When she looks at him with her pale lavender coloured eyes filled with love and admiration, he can only remember black eyes, sparking with a fire only he can elicit in them.

When he hugs her soft, curvy body against his, he catches himself wondering how it would feel to hug a body which is a lot firmer and more muscled, even a bit taller than him. He listens to her bidding him a good night before they part ways and recalls a low voice whispering into his ear, telling him if he had time to chase him, he should be training more.

She kisses him and all he can think of sometimes is the way firm lips had melted against his for a brief second all these years ago.

He may be dense at times, but he realises quickly that what he wants, he can't find in Hinata, no matter how hard he tries.

"I'm sorry," he tells her on a beautiful spring day, feeling guilty, but knowing he can't keep stringing her along. That wouldn't be fair to her.

She nods and smiles weakly, brushing the back of her hand over her eyes. "It's okay. I understand," she says and the worst thing is – she probably does.

When Sakura finds out he broke up with Hinata, she shouts at him, calls him an idiot and punches him, raving about his stupidity and wondering what he hell he was thinking.

He doesn't tell her. Doesn't want to admit that that is something he asks himself as well. He gave up something real for something that might not ever come true.

Maybe he really is an idiot.

* * *

He's almost twenty years old when Sasuke tracks him down, his eyes blazing Sharingan red and Rinnegan purple. He's furious, looks ready to punch Naruto in the face, accusing him of not getting it.

"What don't I get?" Naruto yells in frustration, throwing his hands up. What the fuck has he done to piss off the Uchiha this badly when they hadn't even seen each other in nearly a year?!

Sasuke stares at him, his chest heaving up and down, looking equally frustrated before he suddenly strides over to Naruto, cutting the distance between them. His right hand shoots out and snatches blond strands tightly, making Naruto hiss at the sting. Before he can complain, Sasuke crushes their lips together, kissing him deeply; the kiss so full of frustration and longing and despair that it leaves the blond stunned.

On his own accord, his hands slide up Sasuke's cloak, reaching for his shoulders, for anything to grab on so he can steady himself against the hurricane that is the last living Uchiha, but before his hands can reach their goal, Sasuke pulls back, staring at Naruto with wide, dark eyes.

He breathes out slowly and steps back, snatching his hand back. "That's what you don't get," Sasuke says roughly. He clears his throat and his cheeks fill with red. "That's what I thought you understood when I … It doesn't matter. I'll understand if you – if you hate me now. I know about you and Hinata and … I wanted you to know this."

He's gone before Naruto can recover.

* * *

Naruto wastes no time in tracking the idiot down, fury spurring him on and when he finds Sasuke, he punches him straight in his stupid pretty face and kisses him.

"Would you fucking stop running away?!" Naruto demands angrily and his nails dig into Sasuke's hips while he peppers Sasuke's shocked face with light, soft kisses. "Why do you always think that running away will help?! For once in your goddamn life, stay! You stupid bastard!"

He nearly chokes on the last words, but Sasuke nods and his touch is gentle when he cups Naruto's cheek and kisses him back.

* * *

They celebrate Sasuke's twenty-first birthday in the small cottage they share together, one built deep within the woods near Konoha. He and Sasuke had had a lot of arguments about their living arrangements. Naruto doesn't want to leave Konoha behind, but Sasuke can't stand living in the place that ordered his family's death and yeah, Naruto can understand that. Doesn't blame Sasuke for it.

But he can't just completely leave Konoha behind either, because he still has his friends there and baa-chan and Iruka-sensei and he can't just abandon them.

They compromise by building a small cottage in the woods near Konoha, together with the help of Kiba and Chouji. It's close enough for Naruto to pick up missions and meet up with his friends on a regular basis, but it's also far enough for Sasuke to feel at ease.

Sasuke still refuses to carry out missions like other shinobi, but he helps Kakashi by gathering information about criminals and travelling across the world to search for knowledge about Kaguya. She's completely gone, sealed away by them, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

* * *

Naruto has just turned twenty-one when he and Sasuke make love to each other for the first time.

Naruto's missions and Sasuke's quest have made it difficult for them to spend a lot of time together and whenever they find a moment, their touches are hurried, rushed in order to make the most of it. They know all about pleasing the other one with their hands and mouths, but they haven't found the time yet to go one step further.

Until now that is.

As the wind whistles softly through the trees, making branches creak and leaves rustle, they flip off the lights in the rooms downstairs and go up to their bedroom. Moonlight spills through the only window in the room, painting everything it touches in silver.

Sasuke's hair glints black and blue when he steps into the moonlight and awe fills Naruto at how ethereal Sasuke looks right now. They undress each other slowly, taking their time to brush against warm skin, mapping out muscles, skimming across sensitive places and caressing firm stomachs. When they're completely naked, Sasuke pushes him on the bed and crawls between his open legs. They stop for a moment and stare at each other, both very aware that nothing separates them anymore. Naruto should feel vulnerable now, but he doesn't. He knows he can trust Sasuke.

Something passes between them and then Sasuke catches his mouth in a soft, deep kiss and they start moving once more.

It's everything Naruto has hoped for and more. It's in the way Sasuke moans softly when he flicks his thumbs over his nipples at the same time; the way Sasuke kisses him back eagerly as Naruto takes his time caressing and stroking Sasuke's chest and back, before his hands dip down to touch firm legs. It's the way their hips roll together, pleasure making Naruto's fingertips tingle.

It's the way wonder fills Sasuke's face when he pushes forwards and breaches Naruto, opening him up for the first time, entwining their bodies completely. It's dark eyes gazing at him with so much love and tenderness, it makes a lump form in Naruto's throat and he has to blink tears away.

It's those same dark eyes slipping close, a sob escaping Sasuke's red swollen lips and an arm tightening around his shoulders when Naruto leans up and murmurs roughly, "I love you, Sasuke."

It's simply everything.

 _It's him and Sasuke together._

* * *

When they're both twenty-five and spring is hesitatingly making its way into the country, Sasuke shows up with a little boy and a baby girl. Siblings, the only two survivors of a small town decimated ruthlessly by a criminal gang.

The two year old boy is named Ken and he stares at Naruto with wide, terrified eyes from his place next to Sasuke, his little fist clenched in the man's cloak. His little sister, barely one year old, is cradled in Sasuke's arm, and is named Haruka. How fitting both their names are.

The story leaves Sasuke in rush; his cheeks tinged pink and while he may not even realise it, longing rings loudly in his voice when he explains he couldn't just leave them behind.

Naruto listens and already knows his answer before Sasuke even finishes his tale, has known it from the moment Sasuke stumbled inside the cottage with two small children clutched against him.

Naruto kneels down and spreads his arms, wraps Ken in a warm hug; the hug he'd wished he'd got when he'd been Ken's age and feeling lost and alone in the world. He promises the boy that everything will be all right, you'll see, he and Sasuke will make everything better, and when he looks up, Sasuke is still standing there, cradling Haruka against his chest.

Blue locks onto black and Naruto smiles. "We're going to be your family from now on, okay, Ken, Haruka?" he murmurs and the boy sniffles, his cheeks tearstained, but he tucks his face into Naruto's neck and allows the blond to pick him up and settle him on his hip. He walks over to Sasuke and extends a finger to carefully caress Haruka's rosy pinked cheek. The girl looks at him sleepily and blinks.

"Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke chokes out and neither of them comments on the fact that their lips taste rather salty when they meet for a sweet kiss.

* * *

Naruto celebrates his twenty-sixth birthday a year later. But he doesn't celebrate it alone. He celebrates it with baa-chan and Sakura, with Shikamaru and the rest of his friends, with Gaara popping by for a visit.

More importantly, he celebrates it with Sasuke, his best friend and lover, and their son Ken and their daughter Haruka.

From now on, he won't ever have to celebrate his birthday alone again.

With Haruka on his lap, Ken colouring a picture at his feet and Sasuke's arm wrapped around his shoulder, their bodies pressed against each other, Naruto has never been happier.

He has a family now and that's all that matters.

He won't ever be that lonely, sad boy again. A bright future awaits him and he knows he can handle everything it will throw at him.

Because he has Sasuke and their children at his side.

 **The End**

* * *

 **AN2: Will I ever not suck at endings? It's a mystery *shrugs***

 **I hope it wasn't too bad! Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.**

 **I hope to see you all again in my future stories and I wish you all a Happy New Year!**

 **Cuddles**

 **Melissa**

 **P.S. For more information about my upcoming and posted stories, please visit my profile.**


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